Ocean City, MD Tourism Metrics Reports

The Ocean City Department of Tourism is committed to providing our community, business owners, elected officials, and stakeholders with transparent, accurate, and data-driven reporting. Tourism is the economic engine of our destination, and the decisions we make—from marketing investments to special event planning and strategic development—must be rooted in reliable information. Our monthly Tourism Metrics Reports are designed to provide a comprehensive snapshot of Ocean City’s tourism economy by measuring Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as lodging performance, visitor trends, destination engagement, and economic activity. These reports help identify market shifts, track seasonal performance, and support informed decision-making across the community. Because tourism performance is complex, no single metric tells the full story. Instead, we evaluate multiple indicators together to better understand the health and trajectory of our destination.

HOW WE MEASURE:

The Tourism Department utilizes nationally recognized third-party data providers and reporting platforms that are widely used across the hospitality, tourism, and destination marketing industries. These are independent systems—not internally generated estimates—and each platform serves a specific purpose in helping us understand visitor behavior and economic performance.

Our Primary Data Sources Include:

STR (STAR Report): Provided by CoStar, the STAR Report delivers industry-standard hotel performance data, including occupancy, Average Daily Rate (ADR), and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR), benchmarked against competitive lodging markets.
Key Data: Provides short-term rental (STR) performance data by pulling real-time information directly from participating property management systems, including occupancy, ADR, and booking trends. Also includes transactional chain hotel production, pacing and feeder market information as well as vacation rental information for strategic planning and marketing impact measurement.
Zartico: Tracks visitor movement, geolocation trends, and spending behavior to help understand where visitors originate, how they move throughout the destination, and how they engage with Ocean City.
Other: Tools such as Simpleview, Google Analytics, Sprout Social, and Worcester County Room Tax Collection also serve as important indicators of destination performance and help validate broader tourism and economic trends.

METHODOLOGY, TIMING & DATA ACCURACY:

Monthly Tourism Metrics Reports are typically finalized around the 20th of each month and reflect the previous month’s performance (for example, a report published in June reflects May data). Some sources, particularly room tax collections, require additional processing time and may be incorporated after the initial report is published. When reviewing these reports, it is important to note that variances between reporting years can occur due to refinements in data sourcing, inventory changes, reporting participation, and updates to third-party platform methodologies. Because these third-party platforms continue receiving updated information after publication, some historical figures may shift slightly over time. Additionally, year-over-year comparisons may be influenced by changes in inventory availability, listing classifications, minimum stay requirements, and reporting methodology. This is particularly true for Average Daily Rate (ADR), Occupancy, and RevPAR. While these reports do not capture every possible tourism KPI, they provide a statistically significant cross-section of Ocean City’s tourism economy and serve as a trusted benchmark for measuring destination health.

OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARECNY:

Our responsibility is to provide honest, transparent reporting using the best available information from trusted industry sources so businesses, stakeholders, and leadership can make informed decisions. Tourism performance is nuanced, and no single statistic should be viewed in isolation. Our focus remains on long-term destination health, economic impact, and ensuring every tourism dollar is allocated toward data-backed strategies that drive visitation and support our local businesses. We will continue refining our reporting processes to ensure these reports remain a reliable, transparent, and valuable tool for our community. Ocean City is committed to sharing this information with partners, for their own strategic planning and revenue management.

Below please find links to monthly recaps of Ocean City's travel and tourism trends, monitored by the Department of Tourism.